Lurking Inside
by Anne Redwood
Summary: Marionette has been waiting for years, watching as the others play their game, as they kill security guard after security guard. And then one night, he learns something that makes him wonder if maybe, just maybe, there's a chance for them to be free. Currently a one-shot. It may become a full story if people like it.


Watch and listen.

Clang!

"Go away you damn duck! I don't wanna eat!" Fwick. Fwick. "Fuck you, Foxy. Stop moving."

Marionette adjusted his position so he was hanging upside down from the rafter serving as his perch.

Huhhuhhuhhuhhuhh.

"Not now, Freddy, and no, I won't open the door. I'm trying to find—Why are you in the closet again?"

Closing his eyes, Marionette flipped through the locations of the other beings in the restaurant. Bonnie was back in the supply closet for reasons unknown. Chica had returned to the kitchen, clattering around among the pans. Foxy was on the verge of bolting for the West Hall and Freddy was staring into the East Hall camera closest to the security room. The guard was where the guard always was, firmly planted in a swivel chair, tablet in hand. With a sigh, Marionette opened his eyes.

Watch and listen.

Why he continued to do so was beyond him. The hope of finding what they needed had faded week after week, year after year, face after face. Now he was merely a referee for the game. A thrum in the back of his head told him that Foxy was waiting for the camera's light to charge the security room. Maybe he'd catch the guard tonight.

Years ago that thought would've horrified him, but now…now it was a distant reality. He could see the blood, hear the screams, but it wasn't related to him. It was a dimension he didn't belong to anymore. Kind of a shame really. He hadn't wanted to lose that.

Oh well. Watch and listen.

Clang!

Bang! Bang! Bang!

"Nice try, Foxy," the guard taunted through the closed metal door. "Better luck next time."

Marionette's head shook his head at the strange challenge. It wasn't the first time this particular guard had used that phrase, in fact he'd been using it the past…how long had he been here? With an effort Marionette sorted through the blurred together faces and timelines. Two weeks? Was that right? Checking the others' memories, Marionette blinked. Three weeks. Why did this man keep coming back? His contract ended after the first week.

Watch and listen and learn.

Slowly, Marionette lowered himself to the floor, blending into the shadows. It wasn't necessary; the guard was focused on the others. There was no reason for him to search for something that—as far as he knew—didn't exist.

Sliding behind Freddy, whose attention was still locked on the camera, Marionette put a hand on the bear's shoulder and whispered, "Return."

For a moment, the lead singer didn't stir. Then he blinked and lumbered down the hall back to the dining room. Marionette checked on the guard. It wouldn't be long before he scanned the cameras and…the metal door rose. As he slunk into the room, he offered a quick nod to Chica's extra cupcake sitting on the desk.

"Yeah yeah, Chica. I know you're in the kitchen. You'll probably be at the bathrooms next right?" Fwick. "That's a good fox. Stay there." The man sighed and put the tablet down. After a quick check of the lights, he stretched and spun the chair once, twice, before staring at the desk. "What's with you guys?"

Marionette started. He'd been seen? But how? Then he realized the man's focus was on the poster of Freddy, Bonnie, and Chica.

"I don't get it. How the hell do I look like an endoskeleton? Or is that really it?"

Interesting. For the first time in years Marionette felt the sting of hope. It was a long shot, but maybe, just maybe, they had a chance.

With a groan, the guard ran a hand through his dark blonde hair. "And now I'm talking to a poster. This job is getting to me."

As the man returned to the tablet, Marionette slithered up onto the desk and settled between the computer and fan, which he gave a light pat. A few quick fwicks later, the man lowered the tablet. His blue eyes went wide when he spotted Marionette and he scrambled backwards. The result was him on the floor, the chairs wheels spinning uselessly in the air, and Marionette reminding the cupcake it was rude to laugh. It didn't take long for the guard to find his feet, but his voice was a bit harder to locate. Marionette was willing to wait.

Finally, the man managed, "What the fuck are you? Are you bad?"

His voice was calmer than Marionette had expected and there was just a touch of steel. Not bad. Marionette ignored the questions and answered with one of his own. "Do you really want to know?"

The guard froze. "You…you can talk?"

"Do you really want to know?" Marionette repeated.

"Know what?" the man demanded, half sighing while glaring at Marionette. That was a good sign; he was already adapting.

"You asked why they act this way," Marionette replied. "Do you really want to know?"

"You heard that?" Since he had just quoted the guard's question, Marionette didn't offer an answer. "Not very talkative are you?" Marionette tilted his head. Rubbing the back of his neck, the man glanced at the tablet.

"Go ahead."

"Huh?"

With a gesture to the tablet, Marionette clarified, "I won't attack if you check the cameras."

Eyes narrowed, the guard studied him. "What's the catch?"

"Even if I said there wasn't one, you wouldn't believe me," Marionette shrugged.

"True." But even as he said it, the man picked up the tablet and flicked through the cameras. When he looked back up and found that Marionette hadn't moved, he leaned against the wall and studied the puppet, who was still waiting for the man to answer his original question. "Are the others like you?"

"To a certain degree."

"Hmm." The guard's attention drifted to the poster. "I guess I want to know."

Slowly, Marionette nodded. "Then talk to them."

If the man had been sitting there would have been a repeat of the earlier fiasco. "What?! If you hadn't noticed they're trying to _kill me_."

On the desk, the tiny clock announced the arrival of six a.m. Already feeling the night's grip loosening, Marionette slid off the desk and glided to the East Hall door.

"I suggest starting with Chica," he advised before disappearing back into the rafters.

 **Hey guys! Let's start with the traditional disclaimer: I do not own Five Nights at Freddy's. I wish I did because coming up with something so twisted and mysterious would be amazing. Oh well. So for now this is just going to be a one-shot, though I do have ideas to continue it if you guys like it. Let me know? Thanks for reading.**


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